Jos — About 10,000 Nigerians die annually from rabies, a lecturer with the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom Dr Chika Nwosu has said.
Dr Nwosu, while delivering a lecture organised by the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Plateau State chapter, to end the 2013 World Rabies Week, said 55,000 people die of the disease world over, with 55 deaths recorded per hour.
He said of the 55,000 deaths, 30,000 are in Asia, 10,000 recorded in Nigeria, while the remaining 15,000 are from other parts of the African continent.
"In Nigerian, records have shown that every year, about 10,000 people are killed by this endemic disease possibly because it is largest country on the continent. Records have also shown that about three million people mostly from Africa, Asia and other developing countries of the world are living in rabies endemic areas," he said.
Nwosu added that children under the age of 10 usually constitute 55 per cent of those affected by the disease. He further stated that treatment for rabies cost more than its prevention.
"The cost of post bite treatment of rabies disease in humans is about 10 to 20 times costlier than its prevention. Today, research has shown that globally, over 20 million people are being treated every year of this endemic disease at the wholesome cost of $1 billion per person," he said.
Dr Nwosu, while delivering a lecture organised by the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Plateau State chapter, to end the 2013 World Rabies Week, said 55,000 people die of the disease world over, with 55 deaths recorded per hour.
He said of the 55,000 deaths, 30,000 are in Asia, 10,000 recorded in Nigeria, while the remaining 15,000 are from other parts of the African continent.
"In Nigerian, records have shown that every year, about 10,000 people are killed by this endemic disease possibly because it is largest country on the continent. Records have also shown that about three million people mostly from Africa, Asia and other developing countries of the world are living in rabies endemic areas," he said.
Nwosu added that children under the age of 10 usually constitute 55 per cent of those affected by the disease. He further stated that treatment for rabies cost more than its prevention.
"The cost of post bite treatment of rabies disease in humans is about 10 to 20 times costlier than its prevention. Today, research has shown that globally, over 20 million people are being treated every year of this endemic disease at the wholesome cost of $1 billion per person," he said.
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